Hands-on with the Diablo 3 beta: keep that Internet on!

Diablo 3 won't dazzle you right out of the gate, but Blizzard proves that it's …

"Bash" is the first skill I used with my Barbarian character in the Diablo 3 beta, and my weapon slammed into the skeletons with meaty thudding sounds. Sometimes the enemies would be blown back by the force of my attacks. There is nothing amazing about the graphics of this game at first, but Blizzard excels at nailing the small details that make a game playable for years after release. There have been many games that try to lift from Diablo's design, but the boss is most definitely back.

The beta provides a good taste of the game, enough that you can get a feel for the changes made to the core formula. This is Diablo to the core, but the new additions and subtractions are certainly interesting. Let's take a look at how the game has evolved, and how these changes make for a streamlined, enjoyable experience.

Your skills are now reactive, not restrictive

The biggest change is the complete loss of the skill tree. You won't have to decide what skills you'd like to gain or build up. Instead, skills will be unlocked as you gain levels, and you can choose which skills to place in one of your active skills slots. You begin with two slots, and gain more as you become more powerful, until you have six slots to use at any given time. This means you can change your character's attacks and abilities at any time, and you'll be able to freely experiment to discover what skills work best in various situations, or with your team of adventurers.

There will be no more second-guessing when it comes to your skills, and the new system definitely feels more fun and inviting.

The interface is clean and easy to use. The game now gives you the ability to sell items at any time, clearing your inventory.

The other big change is the ability to sell items whenever you'd like. Simply click on the cauldron in your inventory, click on the item, and you get the same value you would have gotten from a shop. This means that you'll never be stuck with items you don't want, and the items you sell can be purchased back from vendors if you change your mind. You can also break down items you don't need in order to gain material for crafting, but I wasn't able to get far enough into the game to give that aspect of Diablo 3 a try. What's clear is that inventory management will be much simpler.

Why didn't I play longer? That's a good question. You see, the game requires an always-on Internet connection, and the servers seemed to set themselves on fire a few hours after I downloaded the beta, and this dumped me from the game. You not only need to be online to play, you need to connected to Blizzard at all times. So if your connection goes down, or if their servers crash, you can't play. Not even single player. At least this means I can sleep tonight! I know this is a beta and these things are bound to happen, but it's still an ill omen.

The animations are fluid and combat is just as engaging as ever. People make fun of the Diablo series and claim you're just sitting there clicking away, but you always have to assess the situation, take in as much data as possible, and change your strategy accordingly. It may look like we're staring at the screen with our fingers working mindlessly, but the mind of a Diablo player is always crackling with activity. The constant search for loot allows the game to continually reward your attention, and I've already felt the the slimy fingers of addiction slide across my brain. I can't tell if the idea of a new Diablo game this good is scary or thrilling.

I'll be playing more in the coming days, so if there is anything you'd like to know, ask away.